Internal combustion engine



p 1941- s. B. BLENKER 2,254,817

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 19, 1940 5Y4 vo/v. 5. BLE/VKEEINVENTOR A TTORNEK Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,254,817 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Sylvon B. Blenker, Chicago, Ill.Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,517

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an internal combustion engine and moreparticularly to such an engine wherein a pair of cylinders arepositioned in parallel relationship with each other and in each of whichis disposed a double headed piston capable of reciprocating movement.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an internalcombustion engine wherein parallel positioned double headedreciprocating pistons are connected at their centers by means ofsuitable connecting-rods so as to impart rotary movement to a crankshaft positioned centrally between the two parallel pistons.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an internalcombustion engine of an extremely compact design which will produce aneven power flow due to the rotary like application of power impulses tothe crank shaft thereof.

Specifically, the internal combustion engine disclosed herein has as itsprincipal point of novelty structure making possible the rotary likeapplication of power impulses to the crank shaft thereof due to itsunique utilization of crank shaft positioning in relation to the pistonsand cylinders thereof.

With. the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and inthe details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts in cross section showing indetail the reciprocating double headed pistons and the crank shaft andconnecting rods in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 22 of Figure 1 andshows in detail the crank shaft of the engine in relation to the pistonsand known to the art. The motor block Ill is provided with a head II ateach end thereof which heads incorporate intake and exhaust ports I! andI3 which are controlled by valves IZA. and HA. The block ill is soformed so as to provide a pair of parallel positioned cylinders l4surrounded by suitable water Jackets I 5. Slidably positioned in each ofthe cylinders I4 there is a double headed piston I6 each of which isprovided with a plurality of suitable rings adjacent each of the headportions thereof so that combustion taking place in the cylinders l4adjacent the heads of the pistons [6 will serve to impart reciprocatingmovement thereto.

For purposes of simplicity only the portions of the internal combustionengine incorporating novel structure have been illustrated as the timingand the carburation mechanisms of this internal combustion engine may beessentially the same as that of any double action motor known to theart.

In order that the reciprocating movement of the pistons l6 may be mostusefully employed, connecting rods i I are attached to centrallypositioned wrist pins is in each of the pistons l6 and to adjacentappropriately shaped sections of a crank shaft l9 which is centrallypositioned between the pistons l6 and at right angles thereto. It willthus be seen that reciprocating action of the pistons [6 willcontinuously impart rotary like power impulses to the crank shaft I9 thenet result of which will be a more uniform flow of power to the crankshaft and a more eiiicient useful action on the part of the internalcombustion engine. By referring to Figure 2 of the drawing wherein afragmentary view is shown, it will be seen that the crank shaft issupported in suitable bearings 20 and that the pistons and cylinders l6and It, respectively, while positioned in parallel relation to oneanother are not positioned in comparable planes which makes possible theapplication of their power impulses to the crank shaft l9 as shown.Referring again to the drawing it will be obvious that suitable bushlugsand bearings may be employed in connection with the connecting rods I!and their connections with the wrist pins l8 in the pistons l6 and thecrank shaft Hi. It will thus be seen that an internal combustion engineincorporating a practical mode of operation resulting in a rotary likeapplication of power impulses to a centrally positioned crank shaft hasbeen disclosed some of the various advantages of which are obvious. Forexample, the normal piston and cylinder wear is greatly reduced in thatthe pistons are supported uniformly at their respective ends thuspreventing any tendency toward wobbling which would result in unevenwear of the cylinder surfaces.

Further, the problem of lubrication is simplified cation thereby madeavailable. It is also obvious that suitable timing and carburation maybe readily incorporated which will result in a complete internalcombustion engine of considerably greater efficiency than has heretoforebeen known to the art particularly with respect to the rotary likeapplication of power impulses to the crank shaft portion thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An intemai combustion engine characterized by the incorporation ofadjacently positioned double headed cylinders on different planes, adouble headed piston slidably positioned in each of the said doubleheaded cylinders, wrist pins positioned centrally in each of the .saidpistons, together with openings in the said pistons adapted to providefor the positioning therethrough of connecting rods, said connectingrods establishing connection with a crank shaft centrally positioned inrelation to the said pistons and at right angles thereto so thatreciprocating movement of the said pistons results in the rotation ofthe said crank shaft substantially as described.

2. An internal combustion engine including a pair of spaced parallelcylinders, a piston reciprocally mounted in each of the said cylinders,slots in each of the said pistons, the said pistons adapted to receivepower impulses at the opposite ends thereof, a crank shaft disposedbetween the said cylinders at right angles thereto, connecting rodsattached to the said cranks of the said crank shaft and to the saidpistons and functioning through slots formed therein and secured to thesaid pistons by wrist pins substantially as described.

3. An internal combustion engine including a cylinder block having aplurality of parallel cylinders spaced apart, a crank shaft iournaled insaid block between and disposed at right angles to the axis of the saidcylinders, cranks formed in the said crank shaft opposite the saidcylinders. a piston reciprocally mounted in each of the said cylindersand having longitudinally disposed openings therein providing for theentrance thereinto of a piston rod, said rod secured to the said pistonat a central location and to the cranks in a conventional manner,whereby at each movement of the said pistons said connecting rods willmove the said cranks of the said crank shaft with a rotary action.

SYLVON B. BLENKER.

